PCB to take up IPL snub with BCCI

Pakistan Cricket Board has accused IPL commissioner Lalit Modi of betraying them after none of the 11 Pakistani players got a buyer in the Indian Premier League auction and said he would take up the matter with BCCI.

PCB chairman Ejaz Butt told reporters at the Gaddafi stadium that he was very upset with what had transpired at the players auction.

"I had several discussions with Lalit Modi on the participation of our players in the IPL this year and he had assured me they would get a chance to play in the tournament," Butt said.

"Now we don't understand what happened because we did everything from our side including getting government clearance to allow our players to be eligible to play in the IPL," he said.

The PCB chief said after the auction he constantly tried to get in touch with Modi but his efforts went in vain.

"He is not answering my calls. But we will take up the matter with the Indian board," Butt said.

Eleven Pakistan cricketers, including its Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanvir, Rana Naved and Umar Akmal had registered for the IPL auction but none of the eight IPL franchises bid for them.

Disappointed at the way the players were snubbed by the IPL franchises, Pakistan great Javed Miandad has called on the ICC to take control of Twenty20 tournament.

"It's nothing less than humiliation, not only of our cricketers but the whole nation," Miandad, the Pakistan Cricket Board's director of operations said.

"When we call IPL an ICC approved tournament, it should mean that at least all the test playing countries will get a substantial representation in the event," Miandad said.